THE COAL QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1919, Page 5

THE COAL QUESTION.

THE WELLINGTON CONTERENCL. YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDING! S. By Telegraph.—l'ress Association. Wellington, August 4. , Wlien the Coal Mining Conference rcMimcd this 1 morhin" -Mr. Kobcrts said that, if tho ovvnerj!*\vould refuse to go on to tliscusxi the abolition of the contract system it would" be 110 Use proceeding with the conference and producing figures. • ■ The Hon. Mr. Allison said it hail been definitely decided that the owners could not consider the extortionate and unreasonable demands of the men. Mr, Roberts had claimed that injustice would be done to tha.federation If it did not have an opportunity of presenting figures to refute those quoted by the owners; then why was tho federation not going to submit figures? It was because it could not give figures to controvert those of the owners. Mr. Roberts denied having said that they could not produce figures. They had seen through the owners' figures at once. The owners had taken one table in the Board of Trade repbvt and dealt with the mine with the lowest output. It was plain that where* the output wis small the eost of production was . high. In no part of the Board' of Trade report could they find a basis upon which j they could commence their calculations. | Where information was of 1)0 use to anyone the name of the mine was given. Sir George Clifford said that when he made his luggestion regarding figures he placed no time limit on the federation. He wanted the federation to have plenty of time and then to submit its figures from independent experts. Mr. Roberts maintained that it was impossible, on the basis supplied, to give the figures. If the public were to have full information in reference to the working of the mines the employers must throw all their cards on the table, give necessary information, and then the light pf day could be thrown upon the great coal question in New Zealand. Mr. Allison suggested an adjournment to enable the owners to consider the reply made by the federation. He moved an adjournment until this afternodn. Mr. Arbuckle said the Board of Trade report was a most brilliant effort to conceal the real positiqn "with "regard to the coal miners of New Zealand. He challenged the statement by MrAllison that the Board of Trade had gone fully into the coal owners' hooks. The figures supplied by the owners did not show the position of the coal industry. Mr. Allison depended on . the management of tho mines, which, he said, waa thoroughly efficient.

Mr. Allison said that Mr. Arbliokle's statement that the Board of Trade report concealed the true position was quite incorrect. Mr. O'Kourke said the federation would be sceptical until it knew how the figures of the Board of Trade report had been compiled. Mr. Allison, referring -to the remark by Mr. Arbucklo that the State mine was profitable, said it was because the conditions under which it worked were so different. It paid no taxes, no royalty, and no dividends; to shareholder*, The motion for adjournment until the -afternoon was agreed .to. Wellington, Last Night.. The Coal Miners' Conference did not actually reassemble to-day, it having been decided to adjourn until to-morrow morning.